Wire stretcher



o SIMENSON WIRE STRETCHER.

EILED MAR. 6, 1922.

Apr. 3, 1923 gvwawtoz Patented Apr. 3, 1923.

U N 'T E S OSCAR SIMENSON, 0F LOCUST, IOWA.

WIRE STRETCHER.

Application led March 6, 1922. Serial No. 541,351.

To all who/m, t may concern.'

Be it known that I, Oscar: SInENsoN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Locust, in the county of Vinneshiek land State of Iowa, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Vire Stretchers; and Ido declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description ofthe invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which itappertains toV make andv use the same.

This invention relates to an improved wire stretcher which isespecially, but not necessarily, designed for stretching wire andparticularly a woven wire fabric to permit it to be properly attached toa post for forming a fence.

The principal object of the invention is to generally improve upondevices of this class by providing one of extreme simplicity anddurability which is practical, easy to manipulate, and so constructedthat it is extremely strong and durable and yet comparativelyinexpensive to both the manufacturer and the user.

More specically speaking, it is another object of the invention t0provide a wire stretcher which will positively grip a woven wire fabricthroughout its entire width, and the stretcher is preferably in the formof a novel clamp, the movable member of which is detachably pivoted tothe stationary member and hence is capable of being entirel moved awayfrom said member to enable the device to be connected with theV wire,together with means associated with this clamp which enables it to beanchored to a stake or other stationary object.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent duringthe course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and inwhich like numerals are employed kto designate like parts throughout thesame:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of a wire stretcher constructed inaccordance with this invention showing a piece of wire fabric connectedtherewith.

Figure 2 is an elevational view posite side of the device.

Figure 3 is a top plan View thereof.

Figure 4: is a section taken substantially on the plane of the line 4-4of Fig. 1.'

Figure 5 is a sectional View taken. substantially on the plane of theline 5-5 of Fig. 1.

of the op- Figure 6 is a detail perspective view of the movable clampingmember.

In carrying out the invention I make use of a novel clamp which embodiesa stationary member 1 simply in the form of a rectangular piece of woodor other piece of material. (lo-operable with this member l is a movablemember 2 which in its preferred form is substantially semi-cylindricalin cross -section and is of less length than the rst named member. Atits opposite ends, the memberl is formed with notches 3 and a metalstrip 4 is bolted or otherwise secured to the rear face of this memberand is con- P siderably longer than the same and has its ends bentforwardly through said notches as indicated at 5 to provide bearings. Ametal bar 6 is secured to the ineffective face ofthe movable clampingmember 2 and this metal bar is formed at its 7 and 8 respectively. Bycarefully examining this element, it will be seen that the pintles areeccentric with respect to the axis of the member 2 so as to cause aportion of the curved working face of this member to bind the wirefabric F against the adjacent face of the member 1 and yet to permitthismember 2 to be quickly moved to position to disengage it from the wirefabric. Forv the convenience of operating the movable clamping member,it is equipped with a suitable handle 9.y

Arranged at opposite ends of the clamping device are' metal frames 10which are each formed from a single strip of metal seopposite end withpintles v y cured intermediate its ends at 11 to the rear face of themember 1 and bent around and in f ront of this member to provide asubstantially arch-shaped portion 12 to which the extremities of thebent ends 5 and the aforesaid strip are secured. frames extending beyondthe overlapped portions are formed with hooks 13 towhich anchoringchains or the like C are connected.

A brace 14 is secured at its opposite ends` to the frame to assist inincreasing the strength of the device. It is understood that theanchoring chains are to be connected with a stake driven in the groundor other stationary object.

By carefully examining the drawings it will be seen that the aforesaidpintle 7 is considerably longer than the remaining pintle 8 and thatwhen in use the upper end of the member 2 is spaced below the upperbearing. With this arrangement, the mem- The portions of the i ber 2 canbe lifted and the short pintle S disengaged from the lower bearing topermit this member to be again lowered and disconnected from the upperbearing and moved to a position to enable the device to be quicklyattached to or detached from the fence wire.

In use. the movable clamping member 2 is moved to the position justindicated so that the wire fabric can be laid against the inner workingface of the stationary working member l. Then, the movable clampingmember is replaced so that the parts assume the position indicated inFig. 1. lVith the wire in the position shown, the handle 9 is graspedand the movable member moved to take the position indicated in Figs. 3and 4. The wire is then frictionally held between the members l and 2and by connecting anchoring Chains or the like with the hooks 13, thedevice can be moved to the desired point and anchored so that the wirecan be attached to the fence post by a single person. The entire devicecan be easily and readily disengaged from the wire by simply lifting upon the member 2 in the manner before described and the clamping actionon the wire can be easily and readily effected, Other features andadvantages of the invention have doubtless been made apparent.

Since probably the best results may be obtained with the constructionand arrangement herein shown and described, this is taken as thepreferred embodiment of the invention. However, I wish it to beunderstood that minor changes coming within the scope of the inventionas claimed may be resorted to if desired.

I claim:

l. A wire stretcher comprising a clamp including a stationary member anda movable member, between which a wire fabric is adapted to be disposedand frictionally held throughout its entire width, frames at theopposite ends of said clamp, said frames including arms extending beyondsaid clamp and provided at their free ends with hooks to which anchoringchains or the like are adapted to be connected.

2. A wire stretcher comprising a clamp including a. stationary memberformed at its opposite ends with notches, and a movable member which issubstantially semicylindrical in cross section; a metal strip secured tothe rear face of said stationary member and having its ends bentforwardly through said notches and apertured to provide bearings; asecond metal strip secured to the ineffective face of said movablemember and provided at its opposite ends with pintles `iournaled in saidbearings; frames secured to the opposite ends of said first named memberand including arms having hooks at their ends to which anchoring chainsor the like are adapted to be counected. the extremities of thelaterally bent ends of the first named strip being connected with saidframes; and bracing means for the latter.

3. In a wire stretcher,astationary member, :i reinforcing memberattached to said stationary member, and having its ends pro vided withbearings, and a movable member eccentrically mounted in said bearingsand adapted to have its surface brought into contact with the surface ofthe stationary member for holding a wire fabric aga-inst move ment.

4. In a wire stretcher, a stationary member having notched ends, areinforcing mem ber attached to 'one side of said stationary member andhaving its ends bent forwardly through said notched .ends to providebearings, a movable member eccentrically mounted in said bearings andadapted to have its surface brought into contact with the surface of thestationary member for holding a wire fabric against movement, and meansfor anchoring said device.

5. In a wire stretcher, a stationary inember, a reinforcing memberattached to said stationary member and provided with bearings at eachend thereof, anchoring hooks attached to said stationary and reinforcingmembers at each end thereof` and eccentrically arranged semicircularmovable member mounted in said bearings and adapted to have its surfacebrought int-o contact with the surface of the stationary member.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

OSCAR SIMENSON.

